- Under the EU Committee of the Regions (CoR), the Automotive Regions Alliance (ARA) has been created to support a fair and successful transition for automotive regions along the entire value chain, guaranteeing that no region is left behind.
- The Automotive Skills Alliance (ASA) is a key initiative in support of the sector’s transformation through identifying needs for a skilled workforce and facilitating the regional implementation in close cooperation with industry, academia and regions.
- The automotive sector welcomes the initiative by the European CoR to establish the ARA and proposes a strategic partnership between the ASA and ARA, given the synergies and shared goals to facilitate the green and digital sector transformation.
A new Automotive Regions Alliance launched on 30 June under the flag of the European Committee of the Regions, putting important institutional weight behind a fair and successful transition for automotive regions along the entire value chain, guaranteeing that no region is left behind.
The Alliance aims to bring together regions with strong automotive and supply industries that want to play an active role in the decarbonisation of the transport sector and contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal while strengthening regional industrial ecosystems and value creation as well as ensuring economic and social cohesion in every European territory impacted by the transition. The ARA was launched during the June plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions in the presence of Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, who emphasised that a successful green transition requires dialogue, reskilling and adequate funding.
The automotive sector welcomes the initiative and looks forward to strengthening the link between the Automotive Regions Alliance and the Automotive Skills Alliance, the sectorial initiative under the Pact for Skills that supports the upskilling and reskilling of the automotive workforce to facilitate the green and digital transformation.
During the launch of the initiative, CLEPA Secretary General Sigrid de Vries, also representing the Automotive Skills Alliance and the broader value chain, noted in her speech, “The automotive industry is one of the most important industrial sectors in Europe, and fully endorses the Green Deal objectives. The automotive regions have a crucial role in making the transformation a success: they bring the local knowledge and networks to ensure the transition is green, as well as just and resilient.
“The green and digital transformation, and the speed of such a transition, represents significant challenges for all of us along the supply chain. The transformation requires dialogue, co-creation, and a dedicated funding mechanism and platform to discuss and implement the transition pathway. It is important we bring to life the pledge that nobody is left behind. Our workers are an essential asset not only for industry, but for Europe.”
Jakub Stolfa, ASA President, further adds “This new initiative will further strengthen the collaboration between automotive regions, industry, and institutions. The local dimension is at the core of the ASA, as demonstrated by the up/reskilling pilot projects that we have initiated in several regions of Europe. The collaboration between both alliances will support the reskilling and upskilling of workers to avoid job losses in regions and, therefore, in the sector as a whole. Working together to monitor the supply and demand of relevant skills and anticipate future demands is paramount to make the transition a success.
“Regions understand and support the needs of our present and potential workforce, also providing access to the regional education and training providers. They are also the ideal transmission belt between the European political objectives and the shop floor needs of our industry. We see the great potential for strengthening our collaboration on the skills agenda at the regional level while following our shared objectives to support the green and digital transformation of the automotive ecosystem.”
The Automotive Skills Alliance includes more than 90 partners from the automotive industry, social partners, academia and also regions. The collaboration between the two alliances should support the different initiatives that are being developed in the automotive regions, while coordinating the transformation of the workforce through the whole value chain.
About ASA
The Automotive Skills Alliance brings together stakeholders involved in the automotive ecosystem to ensure continuous, pragmatic and sustainable cooperation on the skills agenda, collaborating at European, as well as on national and regional level.
For more information, please contact communications@skills-alliance.eu